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ACoRN served a total of 5,742 individuals in 2008-2009.
Case Management
In 2008-2009 ACoRN provided comprehensive case management services to 58 individuals living with HIV and their families. These services included emergency food, medical payments, linkage with the state drug assistance program for HIV medications, transportation to medical care, rent and fuel assistance, dental care, referral and support for chemical dependency and mental health concerns and other basic needs help to ensure that our clients are able successfully manage their HIV disease. The ability to keep our clients as healthy as possible provides a positive economic impact for our local community reducing the number of emergency room visits, lost days of employment and increased dependency on long term public/private support services.
Prevention Education & Testing
In 2008-2009, ACoRN provided over 100 prevention education programs to nearly 2,500 people using scientifically based curriculum and education materials. Major events at larger facilities like Dartmouth College and local health fairs reached another 3,000 people. ACoRN has also improved agency visibility through legislative education activities, community events, presentations and media coverage.
In October 2008, ACoRN's became the first AIDS Service Organization in New Hampshire to offer HIV rapid testing. Unlike the traditional OraSure© test, the new OraQuick© test is both given and processed in-house, and delivers results in 20 minutes. Already, the ability to offer this rapid test has increased the number of tests tha ACoRN provides to the community and it has given us the ability to test less accessible populations such as persons who are transient or intravenous drug users. Here are some highlights of testing in the 2008-2009 program year:
- A 20% increase in the number of clients served in Case Management
- 124 HIV tests, resulting in finding 2 HIV positives
- Over 60 HCV tests were conducted with 16 positive tests, a 57% increase over the previous year
ACoRN also supports the local community and service providers by hosting “train the trainer” and direct training opportunities (at no cost) on HIV and Hepatitis featuring local and national leaders in the field.
ACoRN also doubled its volunteer resource pool and increased its grant income in Vermont and Grafton County, NH, as well as adding new grant funds thanks to our talented and motivated staff members!
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